Multi Method and Situational Cleaning

[jeffexe]

It is amazing what Solutions and Equipment we have in 2026 vs 1987 when I first started cleaning carpets. I started with Straight hot water extraction for everything. High pH and lots of manual scrubbing. Along the way I was offered a 22 story High rise. I almost walked away from it, but instead, got insight from industry professional, JP. He sold me my first Cimex and Encapuclean. Had no clue how to use it effectively. First, I used it for pre scrubbing all commercial job. Then I realized how well it did as a stand alone machine for encapsulation. After years of testing and learning, I became quite proficient with it and found how much money I was leaving behind passing on jobs like the 22 story High rises. Then along came the CRB and deep agitation action. I found I could use it alone or in conjunction with the cimex or HWE. I never got into the rotatary machines, but the Orbot was another serious game changer. It could pad clean or bonnet clean with little distortion of fiber. Not as aggressive as the cimex, but very versitile. It can scrub almost as well as the cimex and can use bonnets to clean or post bonnet carpets. Other great tools are the battery sprayer, Green Glides, Hoser and wands with better air flow.
I feel our indstry has advanced greatly in the last 30 years. Better options, better solutions, better machines. I am glad I embraced the new technology and grew my business to incorporate many of these options. I feel it has allowed me to privide my customers the most thorough and professional cleaning experience available.

I would like to hear other positive stories of Cleaners who have embraced the multi Method Ideology. Pictures of everyones full arsenel would be great to see too.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

You know my story. I learned about the Cimex here on this board. I'm a Cimex fan like I'm a Jesus fan, maybe not quite that much. Been cleaning my schools with the Cimex and every tool out there almost. Not quite.

 

[Bryce C]

I haven't seen the industry evolve, but starting my operation on a shoe string budget and slowly upgrading has given me the opportunity to see the difference of cleaning with inferior vs superior equipment.

Going from a portable in a trailer to a truckmount in a van has been a huge game changer for me, the difference is legendary. I bought a Cimex and used it to clean 7000 square feet of carpeted hallways in a skyrise building in a metro area earlier this year, and completely understand it having it's place as a comprehensive and multi-faceted cleaning business. I should use it more often, but need to make some custom ramps for my van, and should get on that soon...

I went from a 2 gallon pump up sprayer to a 2 gallon battery powered multi-sprayer and wow that made a big difference. I didn't realize how much I hated pumping! Woody was right about that. It is bulkier than an injection sprayer, and you need to refill it more often, but I do like that it never fails and I can operate it with the truckmount turned off, and a helper can get ahead of me spraying rooms while I am extracting. I may just stick with my battery powered multisprayer for those reasons. But I always keep a couple large and small pump up sprayers on the truck for various reasons.

Recently I switched to using more benign detergents, Procyon Extreme and Plus are working very well for us in residential. Next I just need to figure out the most gentle benign stuff I can utilize in trashed commercial and still get great results. A good challenge that is right up my alley.

Next equipment upgrade for me is probably a Zipper, and I already pre-ordered a JubiLee. I look forward to seeing how those up my game and make my experience of cleaning more enjoyable!

 

[Kenny Hayes]

You upped your game with the Cimex on commercial. A zipper is ok. You can get chems from Excellent Supply and you won't go wrong.

 

[Mike Pailliotet]

Great post… and I think a lot of us who’ve been around a while can relate to that evolution.
From “one method for everything”… to realizing the work actually gets easier—and better—when you stop forcing a system onto every job.
The Cimex, CRB, OP machines, better wands, glides… none of it replaced anything—they just gave us more ways to solve problems.
The he ability to step into a job and let the surface, soil, and situation dictate the approach, and be prepared to handle any reasonable situation is the true sign of professionalism.
That might mean VLM… it might mean HWE… it might mean a combination of both.
The method should never lead—the conditions should.
That’s where the real value is for the customer… and where this industry has quietly improved the most over the last 30 years.

 

[jeffexe]

Great post… and I think a lot of us who’ve been around a while can relate to that evolution.
From “one method for everything”… to realizing the work actually gets easier—and better—when you stop forcing a system onto every job.
The Cimex, CRB, OP machines, better wands, glides… none of it replaced anything—they just gave us more ways to solve problems.
The he ability to step into a job and let the surface, soil, and situation dictate the approach, and be prepared to handle any reasonable situation is the true sign of professionalism.
That might mean VLM… it might mean HWE… it might mean a combination of both.
The method should never lead—the conditions should.
That’s where the real value is for the customer… and where this industry has quietly improved the most over the last 30 years.

I found the more options I had, the more I truly started to enjoy carpet cleanng.

 

[Mike Pailliotet]

I found the more options I had, the more I truly started to enjoy carpet cleanng.

Of course..

Most one method people that I talk to and have observed over the years, don't appear to be having fun in my perspective...

 

[Mike Pailliotet]

Out of curiosity, where are you guys at with your carpet, and vinyl, and tile and grout pricing?

 

[Bryce C]

I'm at $.50/square foot for carpet and vinyl, and between $1 - $1.50/square foot for tile and grout in residential. The former I measure, and the latter I gauge visually.

 

[Mike Pailliotet]

I'm at $.50/square foot for carpet and vinyl, and between $1 - $1.50/square foot for tile and grout in residential. The former I measure, and the latter I gauge visually.

Is that the average price in your area?

 

[Kenny Hayes]

Speaking of vct (even though we weren't) my Babe slinging that mop with me 10 yrs ago. My customers didn't care how we cleaned their carpet, because usually we did this first. Or the other way around. She was 65 here

 

[Bryce C]

Is that the average price in your area?

We are on the higher end, but not the highest. I am in rural CT, no metro areas. In Hartford, Providence, and Boston I am sure I could get 20% to 30% more. I think I can get at least 10% more where I am at though.

 

[SamIam]

You know my story. I learned about the Cimex here on this board. I'm a Cimex fan like I'm a Jesus fan, maybe not quite that much. Been cleaning my schools with the Cimex and every tool out there almost. Not quite.

I'll pray for you hahs

 

[frank fratto]

We are on the higher end, but not the highest. I am in rural CT, no metro areas. In Hartford, Providence, and Boston I am sure I could get 20% to 30% more. I think I can get at least 10% more where I am at though.

I find if you need to get your prices up ? Raise your minimum first. By a lot.

$100 minimum becomes $150 minimum.

 

[Bryce C]

I find if you need to get your prices up ? Raise your minimum first. By a lot.

$100 minimum becomes $150 minimum.

Good call Frank. I am up to $200 on my minimum. I really want $250 to drive anywhere. But for now it seems there is a balance between not losing too many paid leads on small jobs and also making it worthwhile to do them.

I think losing small jobs and their lead cost will lose its sting when I dial in my marketing better and have more good leads coming in overall. The way things are going I'll get enough repeat and referral work to fill in the gaps and stay busy as an o/o in the next few years, but I want to get bigger faster. I am about to have my website rebuilt professionally, my image rebranded, and then someone who knows their stuff help me start using Google PPC ads. Hopefully that takes us to the next level...

 

[frank fratto]

Good call Frank. I am up to $200 on my minimum. I really want $250 to drive anywhere. But for now it seems there is a balance between not losing too many paid leads on small jobs and also making it worthwhile to do them.

I think losing small jobs and their lead cost will lose its sting when I dial in my marketing better and have more good leads coming in overall. The way things are going I'll get enough repeat and referral work to fill in the gaps and stay busy as an o/o in the next few years, but I want to get bigger faster. I am about to have my website rebuilt professionally, my image rebranded, and then someone who knows their stuff help me start using Google PPC ads. Hopefully that takes us to the next level...

I've helped out a few guys with this situation, told everyone of them you can always dial it back?
but none of them never did, they always kept that minimum high!



But I would recommend a low minimum for a Newbie?

But once you get your postcard list above 200, get that minimum up fast and high!

Of course I'm presuming you're doing a good maybe a great job "the newbie"

 

[frank fratto]

Bryce,

Good call Frank. I am up to $200 on my minimum. I really want $250 to drive anywhere. But for now it seems there is a balance between not losing too many paid leads on small jobs and also making it worthwhile to do them.

I think losing small jobs and their lead cost will lose its sting when I dial in my marketing better and have more good leads coming in overall. The way things are going I'll get enough repeat and referral work to fill in the gaps and stay busy as an o/o in the next few years, but I want to get bigger faster. I am about to have my website rebuilt professionally, my image rebranded, and then someone who knows their stuff help me start using Google PPC ads. Hopefully that takes us to the next level...

What's the goal?
How big?
How many employees?
How many vans?
Work out of house? or a shop?
Hire full-time secretary? Or are you the full-time secretary?
You off the van as soon as possible?


Or are you just a one man-show forever?

 

[Bryce C]

Bryce,

What's the goal?
How big?
How many employees?
How many vans?
Work out of house? or a shop?
Hire full-time secretary? Or are you the full-time secretary?
You off the van as soon as possible?


Or are you just a one man-show forever?

Eventually a 4 or 5 truck operation in a populated urban area, probably with most guys as solo techs and 1 to 2 trucks with helpers for the busier days and bigger jobs. Housed in a commercial space with overhead doors, and my wife and I will be the mangement/inventory/repairs/sales/secretary people. That is the dream for now. I will be off the van in the next 5 to 10 years.

 

[frank fratto]

If I had to do it over again with employees? I would've kept it real simple?
* Carpet cleaning.
*Upholstery cleaning.
*Tile and grout cleaning.
*LVP cleaning.
*No water damage.
*No smoke damage.
*No new carpet & vinyl & laminate sales.
*Absolutely no INSULLATION!
*No Commercial.

If I was to do commercial, I would only do commercial nights and weekends.

For this to happen ,I would concentrate all my marketing and advertising.

I would Turn away any work that doesn't fall into these perimeter. {This is hard to do}

 

[frank fratto]

Eventually a 4 or 5 truck operation in a populated urban area, probably with most guys as solo techs and 1 to 2 trucks with helpers for the busier days and bigger jobs. Housed in a commercial space with overhead doors, and my wife and I will be the mangement/inventory/repairs/sales/secretary people. That is the dream for now. I will be off the van in the next 5 to 10 years.

You'll definitely have the populations to do whatever you want to do?

But I try to do it in 3to4 years? Commercial work will get you there faster.

Bryce, GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Bryce C]

Amen, great tips Frank. And thank you for the encouragement! I'm all in on avoiding branching out. Keep it simple with carpet, upholstery, rug, and tile cleaning. No repair work, no dying, no grouting, no polishing, no stretching... nothing except cleaning!!!

I'm convinced that area rugs that don't need deodorization can be handled on-site, even with employees who care less than I do. Test the dyes, control the moisture, use air movers, don't be an idiot, seems simple enough if I train and pay well. There are more and more hard surfaces covered in area rugs and the majority of people will NOT pay $300 to $1000 per rug to clean, that's a lot of business in the same homes I'm already in for other surface types.

I don't want to work 2nd shift and weekends, nor do I want my employees to have to work 2nd shift and weekends. Someone else can have the commercial that cannot be done during business hours (but for now, I still take 2nd shift and weekend work when it finds me, but it will be fired quickly when I reach a certain threshold)